


can't keep my hands to myself

by guitarstrings



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Friends to Lovers, Girl friends to girlfriends, Kevin Cheryl and Toni are the meddling trio, Slow Burn, Veronica is one thirsty girl, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 01:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15984614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guitarstrings/pseuds/guitarstrings
Summary: “Veronica, you literally cannot stop flirting with her,” Kevin deadpans.Veronica stares at them for a few good seconds, then bursts out laughing. “I’m sorry, what? Do you guys hear yourselves right now?”In which Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni challenge Veronica not to flirt with Betty for three whole days. Veronica accepts, and craziness happens (plus a lot of meddling from Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni).





	can't keep my hands to myself

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stolenarrowx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stolenarrowx/gifts).



> For stolenarrowx, who discusses (screams) Beronica feelings back and forth with me, and for tossing ideas which allowed this fic to happen haha. Thank you so much for letting this idea of mine turn into a full-blown fic, and I hope you like how it turned out!
> 
> So this is now officially my longest Beronica fic yet, and I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Title of the fic taken from "Hands To Myself" by Selena Gomez.
> 
> And feel free to hit me up on Tumblr @coolguitarplayer :)

Veronica’s first instinct whenever she’s with Betty is to just reach out and… _touch_ her. Tug on Betty’s sleeves, run her fingers over Betty’s collar, and link their arms as they walk side-by-side. Place her hand on Betty’s knee while they drive to school when the weather is too cold for a leisurely walk.  

It isn’t something Veronica thinks much of, always having known that she’s a touchy-feely person by nature. Though admittedly, Betty is the first person she’s being this affectionate with. Maybe it’s because she often had ulterior motives when she did so with others in the past, but with Betty, that isn’t the case at all.

And Betty never seems to mind, so Veronica isn’t worried that her affectionate nature might be suffocating Betty.

So while they’re walking down the school’s parking lot, Veronica loops their arms together and places her free hand on Betty’s forearm, lightly scratching at the soft fabric of Betty’s flannel shirt as she rants about her high-strung Trigonometry teacher.

“And then he said, ‘if you’re not going to solve it the way I showed you, then don’t come to my class’,” Veronica huffs, and Betty laughs and kicks at the pavement. “I mean seriously, what’s the use of the other methods, then?”

“He does sound like a piece of work,” Betty agrees.

“That is the understatement of the century.”

“Speaking of Trig, our teacher is an absolute bore,” Betty says with a shake of her head. “I swear, she’s like the living, female version of Professor Binns or something.”

“Oh my God,” Veronica says, eyes widening in shock. “Did _my_ Betty Cooper just insult a teacher? And referenced _Harry Potter_ while doing it, too?”

Betty shrugs, a wide grin on her face as she bumps their shoulders together. “Hey, I’m just saying what it is. And you try being in her class. Let’s see if you don’t fall asleep the moment she starts talking.”

“I’d really rather not, thank you very much,” Veronica sniffs, huddling closer to Betty for warmth as a particularly chilly wind blows past them. “Boring people aren’t my thing.”

This makes Betty laugh, and she wraps an arm around Veronica’s shoulder to shield her from the cold wind. They start walking briskly towards the school’s front door, both sighing in relief at the blast of heated air that greets them as soon as they walk in.

“For a school that’s decorated like it’s still stuck in the past, I’m at least happy that it has a functioning heater,” Veronica comments, though she still doesn’t let go of Betty.

“Mmm. I don’t think I can handle it if it were cold indoors, too,” Betty says as she scrunches her nose.

Veronica lightly runs her fingers against Betty’s collar, batting her eyelashes as she purrs, “Well, I can if you have your arms wrapped around me for the whole day.”

Flushing a deep red, Betty lets out a throaty laugh and scratches her cheek. “Seriously, Ronnie, how do you come up with the craziest ideas?”

“It’s not crazy if it works,” Veronica shrugs. “And hey, it worked, didn’t it? I definitely felt warmer with you side-hugging me.”

“Fair point,” Betty admits, ears still a bright pink as Veronica rests her head on her shoulder. “Oh, I can’t walk you to your first class, by the way. I have to check up on a few things at The Blue and Gold’s office. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, B, don’t apologize,” Veronica says reassuringly as she lifts her head. “I’ll see you later at lunch, then?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you at lunch,” Betty answers with a nod and a half-smile. “Have a great morning, V.”

Veronica smiles back and presses a soft kiss against Betty’s cheek as she lets go of her arm. “Have a great morning, too, B.”

Before walking away, Betty bumps their hips together, and Veronica chuckles fondly as she makes her way to her locker. There she finds Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni, all three of them smirking at her.

“Wow, you and Cousin Betty sure looked cozy,” Cheryl remarks as Veronica opens her locker.

Toni reaches out to take Kevin’s arm in hers and, with an exaggerated sweetness, says, “Oh, Betty, can we just stay like this forever?”

“I would love to, Veronica,” Kevin mock sighs, making Veronica pause from gathering her books to turn around and glare at them.

“Okay, first of all, Betty does _not_ sound like that,” Veronica huffs. “And second, I know you guys want to tell me something, so why don’t we cut to the chase?”

“As expected, you’re very perceptive,” Cheryl smiles, wide and scheming that Veronica has to roll her eyes.

“Anyway, we think you have a major problem,” Kevin adds with a shake of his head.

Veronica raises an eyebrow and folds her arms across her chest. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“What we’re trying to say,” Toni starts, glancing at Cheryl and Kevin who nod for her to continue, “is that you have a problem keeping your hands off of Betty.”

“Veronica, you literally _cannot_ stop flirting with her,” Kevin deadpans.

Veronica stares at them for a few good seconds, then bursts out laughing. “I’m sorry, what? Do you guys hear yourselves right now?”

“Oh believe us, Veronica, we do,” Cheryl sniffs and tosses her hair back. “And it wouldn’t be a problem if you two were dating, but you aren’t.”

“What, so I can’t touch or flirt with Betty unless we’re dating?” Veronica asks incredulously.

“It’s not the… touching that’s the problem, per se, but the _frequency,_ ” Kevin emphasizes, and Toni nods in agreement.

“So tell us, Veronica, was there ever a day where you _didn’t_ flirt with or flirty-touched Betty?” Toni asks, making Veronica squeak indignantly.

“Well, that was a defensive sound if I ever heard one,” Cheryl says coolly as she inspects her nails. “So I’m sure we can all take that as a no, then?”

Kevin and Toni nod, and Veronica gapes at them, betrayed.

“Wha- I don’t-“ Veronica splutters helplessly.

“Which then brings us to our main point,” Cheryl continues, ignoring Veronica’s cries of defiance. “Kevin, would you do the honors?”

“Right. So, the three of us have been talking about your ‘problem’, and then we came up with a challenge for you,” Kevin says, looking pointedly at Veronica.

And uh-oh, Veronica doesn’t like where this is headed.

“And the challenge is…” Kevin pauses for dramatic effect, and Veronica’s too busy dreading whatever he’s about to say next to roll her eyes. “Don’t flirt with Betty for three whole days.”

“By that, we mean the whole package. But you’re smart, so I’m sure you know what that means. Right, Lodge?” Cheryl presses, wearing a devious grin.

Well, there it is. Veronica definitely, definitely does not like this. _At all._ But admitting it out loud would mean showing weakness, would mean that they win and she loses, and Veronica Lodge is _not_ a loser.

And being a Lodge, it goes without saying that she never backs down from a challenge.

Part of Veronica knows that she shouldn’t be letting her pride get in the way; that she shouldn’t be taking the bait but _screw that._ They don’t think she can go a full three days without flirting with Betty? Fine then, she’ll prove them wrong.

“Fine,” Veronica grits out, ignoring the voice in the back of her head that screams at her not to do it. “Challenge accepted.”

“Now we’re talking!” Toni says with a grin and wraps an arm around her shoulder, and Veronica suddenly wishes Betty would’ve at least walked her to class before this happened.  

She would’ve wrapped her arms around Betty’s neck, hugged her a little tighter, and kissed her cheek a little longer before sending her on her way.

God, why does she suddenly sound like a dying person with many regrets?

So heaven help her, because this is about to be the longest and worst three days of Veronica’s life.

* * *

 

Veronica can’t believe she’s actually going to say this, but she’s glad that Principal Weatherbee didn’t give in to her pressure to put her and Betty in all the same classes. At least half of her day won’t have to be spent suffering in her seat by looking at Betty and hopelessly wishing she didn’t agree to their friends’ stupid dare.

But to Veronica’s fear, the morning passes by fairly quickly and it’s suddenly time for lunch. So she takes her sweet, sweet time in walking to the cafeteria, making small talk with the other students along the way.

The feeling of dread only intensifies when she finally gets there, where she spots Betty and the rest sitting at one of the tables in the corner with the fewest seats. Of course, the only empty seat is the one beside Betty’s, because their friends sure love turning her life into a living hell, don’t they?

Veronica sighs, squares her shoulders and puts on a sweet smile as she makes her way towards them. As she approaches, she spots Cheryl leaning across the table towards Betty, making Veronica frown and wonder what devious act she’s doing this time. Betty raises her hand to… her collar? But Cheryl quickly slaps her hand away, leaving Veronica confused.

“Veronica! Nice of you to finally come and join us,” Cheryl says brightly, and Betty turns around in her seat to look at Veronica.

“Hey, V,” Betty grins, reaching out her hand to help Veronica into her seat. And, upon closer inspection, Veronica finds that Betty’s collar has been messed up, and- _ah._ So _that’s_ what Cheryl had been up to.

Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni look at her expectantly, and Veronica swallows and smiles politely at Betty.

“It’s okay, Betty, I can do it,” Veronica says breezily as she slides into her seat, curling a fist around her skirt to suppress the overwhelming need to fix Betty’s shirt.

This leaves Betty to stare at her in confusion, and Veronica to sit stiffly as she tries not to fill up the tiny space left between the two of them.

“Oh, Betty, your collar is a mess, by the way,” Veronica says with a small smile, then promptly turns her attention towards the three. “So, how were your morning classes?”

“Uh… right,” Betty says slowly as she stares down at her shirt, and Veronica misses the way her face falls in disappointment. “Thanks, V.”

Veronica drums her fingers against the table, ignoring the way Betty’s knee brushes against hers ever so slightly as they eat, and ignoring the voice in the back of her head that tells her to lean into Betty’s side and laugh into her ear.

So she keeps her hands on her lap after she finishes her food, only sparing Betty a few glances every now and then.

It doesn’t help that Betty’s eyes are on her the whole time, doesn’t help that when Veronica _does_ look at her, Betty shoots her that half-smile that has Veronica swooning inside.

Then again, pretty much everything about Betty Cooper has _the_ Veronica Lodge swooning.

* * *

 

If lunch was bad, then their Chemistry class that afternoon is even worse. The teacher tells them to pair up for an experiment, and Veronica whirls around to look for a partner that isn’t Betty but ends up having no such luck. From behind, Kevin smirks at her, and Veronica is beginning to panic because Betty is walking towards her with a hopeful expression, and _God,_ is there really no one else out there available?

Then she spots a girl approaching Betty, and Veronica doesn’t know whether to feel relieved or jealous by what she sees. If Betty accepts the girl’s offer to be her partner, then Veronica won’t have to worry about slipping for the duration of the class. But on the other hand, it would mean having to endure watching this girl come on to Betty.

But then the girl takes another step towards Betty, and yup, Veronica is _definitely_ jealous. Annoyed, she forcefully ties her hair back into a ponytail while muttering about stupid cheerleaders and their stupid, irritating squeals of delight whenever Betty greets them.

“Are you sure it’s okay for Betty to partner up with that girl?” Kevin whispers from behind, and Veronica whirls around and glares daggers at him.

“It’s fine,” Veronica says coolly. She sighs and gives a half-hearted shrug, then adds, “It’s like you guys said earlier. Betty and I aren’t dating, so she’s free to be with whoever she wants.”

“Well, if you say so.”

Veronica purses her lips and turns her attention back to their teacher, only to find that Betty has taken the empty seat beside hers. She blinks, then stares at Betty, silently asking for an explanation.

“Hey, do you want to partner up with me?” Betty offers with a sheepish smile, and Veronica has to bite back the flirty remark that hangs on the tip of her tongue.

“Yeah, of course,” Veronica answers instead. “What happened with the girl earlier? Wasn’t she asking to pair up with you?”

She passes it off as nothing more than a curious question, making sure not to let any venom slip into her voice, which thankfully, Veronica has become successful at.

“Oh, yeah, she did,” Betty answers as she takes out her manual from her backpack. “But I said no, because I said that I’ve already got the perfect partner.” She adds with a smile and bumps their shoulders together.

Veronica freezes, the sensation of Betty’s skin rubbing against hers sending tiny jolts of electricity down her spine.

And gosh, it would be so easy to just forget about that stupid dare and act like she always does with Betty, but Kevin is right behind them and Veronica isn’t about to give him that kind of satisfaction.

“Should we start working?” Betty asks, completely oblivious to Veronica’s internal struggle.

Veronica takes a deep breath and nods as she puts on her goggles, careful not to lean towards Betty’s space too much. It doesn’t work, though, because she and Betty accidentally keep brushing hands and bumping elbows while they work on their experiment, and the fact that Veronica can’t tease Betty about it is driving her insane.

And to make matters worse, Kevin is watching Veronica like a hawk the whole time, as though afraid that he might miss any tiny signal she might be sending to Betty. Veronica shakes off the feeling of Kevin’s eyes on her and dutifully focuses on her task, which happens to go pretty well until Betty brushes aside a stray hair from Veronica’s face.

“You know, you look good wearing a ponytail,” Betty says warmly, making Veronica nearly spill the contents of her test tube. “Whoa there!” she grabs Veronica’s elbow to steady her, a sheepish smile on her face. “Sorry, did I startle you?”

“Oh, no-“ Veronica reaches out her hand to touch Betty’s arm, but the chilling stare she feels boring down on her neck stops her dead in her tracks. So she quickly collects herself and subtly leans away from Betty. “No worries, Betty, I’m fine,” she forces out a laugh and waves a hand in dismissal.

“O…kay?” Betty questions slowly, and Veronica grips the edge of their work table as she takes in deep breaths.   

“Let’s get back to work,” Veronica says without looking at Betty, picking up the empty beaker in front of her.

“Here,” Betty says softly, carefully taking the beaker from Veronica’s shaking hands. “I’ll help,” she offers with a small smile, and Veronica sucks in a breath and nods mutely.

The irony that this is a Chemistry class isn’t lost on her at all.

* * *

 

Veronica has barely made it out of Chemistry alive when another curveball hits her right in the face (not literally, of course, because according to Betty, that shit hurts like hell) later that afternoon. She can’t believe she thought having Betty as a partner for their experiment was going to be the most unbearable part of this day, until she remembered that they also share the same PE class.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Veronica buries her face into her hands, because nothing gets her crazier for Betty Cooper than watching her play sports. Well, aside from that freaking half-smile Betty only does for her.

Maybe she could call in sick, or say that she inhaled some harmful chemical from their experiment that suddenly made her feel woozy.

“Don’t you just love PE?”

Veronica looks up from where she sits to find Toni smirking at her. Rolling her eyes, Veronica gets up on her feet and scoffs. “You know what, I’m not even going to answer that question.”

“That’s fine, I know what your favorite part is, anyway,” Toni answers casually, and Veronica pointedly ignores her as she starts doing her warm-ups. “And would you look at that, there she is!”

Cursing under her breath, Veronica stops stretching and watches as Betty walks towards them with that damn cute ponytail bouncing around with every step that she takes. Her fingers twitch uncontrollably at her sides, as though complaining about not being able to touch Betty.

From the corner of her eye, Veronica sees Toni smirk, and seriously, who gave them the right to stick their noses in her and Betty’s relationship? Not that they have a romantic one, at least, which is a shame because is there anyone more amazing than Betty Cooper is?

No one. The answer is no one.

Veronica subtly clenches and unclenches her fists to stave off the overwhelming need to run her fingers down Betty’s arm, where her biceps have become more defined from years of playing baseball and wrenching car parts into their proper place.

Smirk growing wider, Toni taps Betty’s shoulder and points to the top of her head. “Hey, Betty, I think there’s something in your hair.”

“Really?” Betty blinks and reaches up to brush the non-existent dirt away from her hair, the ripples in her arms showing and Veronica?

Veronica just wants to _scream her head off._

“Is it gone now?” Betty asks, but Veronica can only make a garbled sound that gets stuck in her throat.

“Yeah, you’re good,” Toni answers, whistling innocently as Veronica scowls at her.

Betty nods and thanks Toni, and Veronica just hates her life right now.

But because the universe is a bitch and their PE teacher an even bigger fiend, he decides that today is a great day to practice pitching and hitting baseballs, much to Betty’s delight and, conversely, much to Veronica’s horror.

It only gets worse when Betty turns to her, dimpled half-smile and all as she offers, “Do you want to practice with me, Ronnie?”

Betty looks at her expectantly, and, feeling slightly faint, Veronica manages a small nod.

And seriously, _fuck. Her. Life._

And fuck her for not being able to say no to Betty Cooper.

“Alright! Let me just go get what we need,” Betty says with a grin before walking off towards their teacher.

Then, when Veronica’s sure Betty is out of earshot, she turns to Toni and crosses her arms over her chest in irritation.

Toni shrugs and throws her hands up in the air. “Hey, it’s not my fault you can’t say no to her.”

Veronica opens her mouth to make a rebuttal, but promptly snaps it shut when she feels a tap on her shoulder.

“So, do you want to try pitching or do you want to swing the bat?” Betty asks, and all Veronica can think is, _it’s a trap!_

Toni seems to think so, too, though she’s certainly happy about it while Veronica only senses impending doom. Well, whichever one she chooses, she’s finished. Dead. Absolutely done for.

She will not survive to see the light of day again. Or the light of Betty’s smile, because _that_ is the best smile Veronica has ever seen in her entire life.

It’s just too bad she’s going to die before PE ends.

“I think…” Veronica trails off, clearing her throat. “I’ll try swinging the bat?” she questions, and yup, this is _definitely_ her second colossal mistake of the day.

Betty nods and gives her the bat, teaching Veronica the proper footing and the correct positioning of her hands. Veronica’s heart nearly jumps to her throat when Betty tucks her chin on top of her head, her initial instinct to lean back against Betty and thank her sweetly for tutoring her.

“So you just-” Betty shifts until her hands are pressing against Veronica’s, guiding the flow of the bat into the right direction. The callouses scattered across her fingers and palms tickle and scratch at Veronica’s skin, Betty’s hands warm and familiar against her own that Veronica could hardly breathe. “-swing it like that.”

“Hey, Betty, why don’t you give a demo so Veronica can watch and follow your movements?” Toni suggests, and Veronica is quick to glare daggers at her. “Here, you can borrow my bat for a bit,” she offers, ignoring Veronica’s murderous stare as she hands Betty her bat.

Veronica opens her mouth and protests, “That’s really not-“

“-necessary?” Toni finishes, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Why? Because you’ve been watching Betty closely at our practices?”

There’s a retort hanging on the tip of Veronica’s tongue, but it quickly turns into a strangled noise as soon as Betty lifts up her bat, biceps flexing and-

_Fuck. Her. Life._

But God bless those fantastic ripples and God bless the universe for giving Betty the gift of playing baseball, because really, no sight could be more attractive and appealing in Veronica’s eyes than that of those blessed, blessed arms being flexed.

* * *

 

By the end of the day, Veronica is _exhausted._ Tired from the strain and effort of putting some distance between her and Betty so as not to slip for even a split second.

But of course, she doesn’t let it show on her face, unwilling to give their friends the satisfaction that this little game their playing is affecting her more than it should. Or that it’s even affecting her at all.

Though admittedly, it _is_ painful that she’s not huddling close to Betty as they walk up the steps of The Pembrooke. Even with her coat on, the lack of Betty’s warmth seeping into her has Veronica feeling colder than she should be.

Betty’s hands are shoved in the pockets of her jeans, and Veronica wishes she could gently take them out and hold them in her own.

“So,” Betty starts, shuffling her feet against the steps as they arrive at the door. She pulls out her hands from her pockets and climbs up one step, eyes soft as she gazes at Veronica.

Veronica bites her lip, tilts her head to the side as she waits for Betty to continue.

But Betty doesn’t say another word, instead leans in and presses her lips against Veronica’s forehead before mumbling her goodbye.

Stunned, Veronica stands shock-still as Betty smiles slightly, unaware of the sadness that clouds her eyes the moment she turns around and walks away.

* * *

 

For some reason, Veronica hears warning bells ringing in her head when Betty calls her the next morning.

_“V? I’m sorry, but I can’t drop by to pick you up,”_ Betty apologizes, sounding genuinely remorseful.

Veronica presses her phone closer to her ear, eyes narrowing in suspicion when she hears some rustling and other voices in the background. Voices that suspiciously sound like Kevin and Cheryl.

“Are Kevin and Cheryl with you?” Veronica asks.

_“Huh? Oh, yeah,”_ Betty answers in surprise. _“Why, did they tell you they’d be coming over here? They just showed up out of nowhere this morning…”_

_No, no I did not,_ Veronica thinks, gritting her teeth. She clenches her phone tightly and pinches the bridge of her nose, because _of course_ they would sabotage her by meddling some more.

“What are they doing there?”

_“Betty! You should wear this,”_ Kevin says loudly, and Veronica’s mouth hangs open, the color draining from her face.

Oh no. Oh nononononono. They are _not_ messing with Betty’s wardrobe. They can’t- that’s illegal. It _should_ be.

_“Oh, okay?”_ Veronica hears Betty say distractedly. _“So, yeah. I don’t know why, but they’re picking out clothes for me to wear to school today,”_ Betty adds with a small laugh, and Veronica can picture her ears going pink as she speaks.

“Yeah, I heard,” Veronica grits out and furrows her eyebrows.

_“Come now, Betty! We don’t have forever, you know?”_ Cheryl interjects impatiently.

And oh, they are dead. They are _so_ dead when Veronica sees them later.

_“Right. Uh, V? I’m really sorry again, but I’ll meet you by our lockers later?”_

Jaw clenched tight, Veronica nods, too annoyed by their friends’ constant interference in her business to appreciate the gesture.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later,” Veronica answers in a clipped tone and hangs up.

She tosses her phone into her bag and rubs at her forehead, feeling the signs of a headache start to come on.

This day is going to be much, _much_ worse than what she had to go through yesterday.

* * *

 

The whispers and the gleeful squeals start the moment Betty Cooper walks in through the front doors of Riverdale High. Veronica whirls around to see what the commotion is about, her jaw dropping the moment she lays eyes on Betty – wearing a black shirt underneath an open, button-up denim shirt with the sleeves rolled up halfway, cuffed jeans that show her ankles, and a pair of white sneakers Veronica has only seen her wear twice before.

Her hair is also free from its usual ponytail, golden waves falling smoothly past her shoulders and _wow._

And see, the trouble and danger with Betty Cooper is that she has a charm that she can claim wholly as her own. Her cute, dimpled grin matched with her tomboyish, girl-next-door vibe is nothing more than a deadly combination, and it’s one that Veronica has fallen so willingly for.

“Hi, V,” Betty greets her, and Veronica can only stare at her.

What are words again?

“Uh, hi?” Veronica squeaks, and Betty lets out a shy, little laugh and rakes her fingers through her hair.

And oh, Veronica could just yank Betty in by her collar and kiss her silly, because she’s just too cute and gorgeous for words. And if she weren’t mad about her current predicament, she would praise Kevin and Cheryl for their makeover, meddlesome as it may be.

Moving closer to her, Betty leans in until Veronica can feel her ragged breathing against her ear, can see the sparkle in her eyes and the faint blush that dusts her cheeks.

“Do I-“ Betty pauses, biting her lip as she thinks over what to say next. “How do I look? I don’t look silly, do I?”

Mouth dry, Veronica shakes her head, lungs struggling to take in air and her head light from the lack of oxygen.

“No,” Veronica rasps, and it takes all her willpower to stop herself from blurting out what she actually thinks of Betty’s outfit.

_You look like you could kiss me senseless right now and I would be one-hundred percent, completely okay with that._

“You look-“ Veronica inhales sharply, bracing herself against her locker in an attempt to get her feelings under control. And yikes, there sure are _a lot_ of them. “You look good,” she says, sounding as nonchalant as possible, hands trembling at her sides from the strain of holding herself back from reaching out.

And God, is this what it means to experience withdrawal symptoms? Because the fact that she can’t touch Betty is driving her mad.

Betty flashes her that dimpled half-smile and steps back, fidgeting with her collar as Veronica smiles weakly back at her.

Veronica might hate her nosy friends with a passion, but oh how she loves Betty Cooper.

* * *

 

English class that morning is an absolute nightmare. While Veronica has to consciously sit still so as not to let her head drop on Betty’s shoulders, other girls are giggling and passing Betty notes. Now she knows it’s rude to read what is supposed to be meant for Betty’s eyes only, but whatever, it isn’t like these girls are passing these tiny pieces of paper in secret.

There’s one that reads: _You look so cute in that outfit, Betty._ And another one where it shamelessly says: _Are you wearing a tank top? Or is that just a regular shirt?_

Both Veronica and Betty’s faces are beet red for different reasons; Veronica’s being out of jealousy and Betty’s being that she’s not used to having girls come on to her so blatantly all at the same time. And Veronica has only one reaction to this: Kill Bill Sirens.

To Veronica’s satisfaction, however, Betty doesn’t make the effort to respond to any of them. Maybe it’s the sheer amount of notes she’s received, or she simply doesn’t want to entertain them any more than she already has. But either way, Veronica’s just glad that Betty isn’t giving these girls the time of day.

Betty turns around in her seat to face Veronica, ears still pink as she smiles meekly and folds her hands on top of her desk.

And just like that, Veronica _melts._

* * *

 

“So, what do you think of Betty’s makeover?” Cheryl asks sweetly as they settle in for their next class. There’s an unmistakable evil glint in her eye as she gauges Veronica’s reaction, lips pulled upwards in a pleased smile. “She’s a feast for the eyes, is she not? I’ve heard that girls are fawning over her left and right,” she adds, visibly taunting Veronica.

Trying to get her to break down and admit that no, she can’t put up with this any longer. But Veronica is more stubborn than that, and so she levels Cheryl’s stare and says, “Then let them fawn and pine away. I don’t care.”

“Oooh, cold.” Cheryl feigns a shiver, and Veronica rolls her eyes and directs her gaze towards the blackboard. “Then let me tell you this. I heard someone from our cheerleading team asked Betty out for a date.”

At that, Veronica blanches. She knows Cheryl is trying to get a rise out of her, and it works for a brief moment. Mild panic swells up in her chest, because what if Betty said yes? Then she’ll be sharing a glass of milkshake with this unknown girl and flash her that dimpled half-smile Veronica is convinced that was only meant to be for _her_.

It’s suddenly hard to breathe, because _oh God,_ is she really going to lose Betty over some stupid bet she made?

“But you don’t care, right? Then I guess we can let this cheerleader off the hook at practice later,” Cheryl says casually as she leans back against her chair and inspects her nails.

_I do care,_ Veronica wants to scream. _I do care and I don’t want to lose Betty to some random girl._

But she pushes back the overwhelming urge to yell and tightens her grip on her desk, hating that she has no one else to blame but herself for what’s happening right now. 

* * *

 

It’s almost funny, Veronica thinks, the lengths people would go to in order to grab Betty’s attention.

They’re walking to the cafeteria later that day for lunch when a girl walking from the opposite side ‘trips’, and Betty, being the angel that she is, immediately extends her arms to catch the said girl and stop her from falling flat on the ground.

Veronica has to roll her eyes at the fakeness of it all, the timing much too perfect for it to be called an accident.

“Hey, are you okay?” Betty asks in concern.

“Oh, Betty! Sorry,” the girl laughs nervously, and all Veronica sees is red, red, _red,_ blood roaring in her ears the moment the girl slides her hand up to squeeze Betty’s arm. The worst part is, she isn’t even subtle about it.

And Veronica seethes because the nerve. The freaking _nerve_ of this girl. Beside her, Cheryl snickers, and Kevin and Toni choke back a laugh.

“Wow, this girl deserves an Oscar,” Kevin wheezes.

“Hey, Veronica, maybe you should do the same thing,” Toni suggests, earning her a sharp glare.

“Excuse me, but Veronica Lodge would _never_ resort to such phony tricks,” Veronica says irritably, hugging her books more tightly to her chest lest she lose control and bitch-slap this, well… _bitch_.

So she glares as harshly as she can, until the girl shrinks and withers away, with Betty blinking rapidly in confusion at the sudden change in the mood. The proof that she still hasn’t lost her edge has Veronica feeling pleased, and it takes her all her willpower not to sigh happily when Betty puts her arm around her shoulder.

* * *

 

Her mom isn’t home when they arrive at The Pembrooke after school, so Betty offers to stay and wait with Veronica until Hermione gets back. So now they’re in the living room, watching TV with Betty’s head on her lap, and the whole time, Veronica itches to run her fingers through Betty’s hair.

Then Betty shifts and looks straight up at her, eyelids droopy and a sleepy smile playing at her lips, and it’s certainly not helping make things easier for Veronica. But wearing Betty’s shirt helps in a way, even if it’s just a little bit. It isn’t like wearing Betty’s clothes is part of the ‘no flirting’ rule, so ha, checkmate!

“Cheryl told me somebody asked you out on a date earlier today,” Veronica says softly. “Is that true?”

Betty hums, turns around so she can wrap her arms around Veronica’s waist.

And oh, that is definitely not helping.

But Betty’s too cute right now for Veronica to complain about how unfair it is that she can’t play with her hair, so she chooses to bear it in silence.

“Yeah…” Betty pauses, then releases a sigh, nuzzling her face against the soft fabric of the shirt that was once hers. “But I said no.”

Veronica lets out a relieved sigh of her own, unable to help the smile that plays at her own lips.

“Why?”

Betty shrugs, wraps her arms tighter around Veronica. “I was already kind of hoping I’d get to spend more time with you after school.” She cranes her neck to look up at Veronica again, then mumbles, “I always am.”

Heart fluttering, Veronica whispers, “Me too,” just as Betty cups the back of her neck and pulls her down so their foreheads are touching.

“I miss you,” Betty sighs, voice low and full of longing that the words sink right into Veronica’s bones.

It’s different from the lighthearted, joking way Betty says it over the phone after they part ways for the day – this one filled with unanswered questions with a distant ache that Veronica finds herself mirroring.

_I miss you, too. So much. And I’m so sorry for letting my stupid pride get in the way of this. Of us, whatever we are._

“Come here,” Betty murmurs, that dimpled half-smile Veronica loves spreading across her face as she gently pulls her down into a lying position. Out of all Betty’s smiles, this one is Veronica’s favorite because she loves the way Betty looks at her – eyes all soft and starry.

And the moment Veronica’s head hits Betty’s chest, they both fall asleep.

* * *

 

An hour later, Veronica wakes up to the sensation of her shoulder being gently shaken. With bleary eyes, she squints at the figure hovering above her and recognizes it as her mom’s. Her legs feel stiff, and she carefully stretches them out before getting up, Betty still fast asleep and undisturbed by the movement.

“Mom?” Veronica yawns, and Hermione smiles and pats her head. “When did you get home?”

“Around half an hour ago. Can you help me prepare dinner?”

Veronica yawns again and nods, about to rise to her feet when she feels a tug on her wrist. Confused, she looks down at Betty who mumbles something incoherent in her sleep whilst trying to pull Veronica back down.

Eventually, Veronica manages to break free without stirring Betty, which makes Hermione chuckle fondly.

“Let her sleep, mija. She’ll wake up soon enough once I start cooking,” Hermione says before turning around and walking towards the kitchen.

Betty shifts onto her side, which ends up with her legs dangling off the couch, and Veronica barely manages to stifle the giggle that threatens to spill from her lips. Oh, Betty Cooper. Shaking her head fondly, Veronica hoists Betty’s feet back on the couch, making sure she’s settled into a comfortable position before following her mom.

“I didn’t know you and Betty had plans,” Hermione says, as they’re chopping up the ingredients.

Veronica shrugs, blows away a loose strand of hair from her face. “We didn’t. Betty offered to keep me company until you came home.”

“We should invite her to stay for dinner, then.”

“You always want Betty to stay for dinner,” Veronica points out, mocking accusation.

“Well, she is a nice girl,” Hermione says casually, and Veronica agrees. “And besides, there’s someone else in this apartment who wants her around all the time, isn’t there?”  

Veronica flushes, because her mom has _never_ teased her about anyone else before. Which, okay, does make sense since her mom always did have a soft spot for Betty. Because really, who _doesn’t?_

“Whatever,” Veronica mumbles, ducking her head.

Hermione laughs as she starts to cook, and sure enough, Betty shuffles into the kitchen only moments later, hair sticking up in places but angelic nonetheless.

“That smells great, Mrs. Lodge,” Betty says sincerely as she walks up to Veronica and hugs her from behind. “Is there anything I can to do help?”

“Thank you, Betty. It’s always good to have you here,” Hermione answers, winking at Veronica. “Isn’t that right, mija?”

Veronica coughs, thankful that Betty is behind her so she doesn’t see the blush that dusts her cheeks. “Yeah,” she manages to say in a strangled voice, unable to focus what with Betty’s chin tucked on her shoulder. “Yeah, it is.”

“Anyway, you can set up the table, Betty. And feel free to stay the night, if you want to,” Hermione says, and Veronica gapes at her.

“But- we have school tomorrow. And Betty has early morning practice,” Veronica splutters, turning around in Betty’s arms to catch her eye. “Don’t you?”

“It’s fine,” Betty answers without missing a beat, grinning widely at Veronica. “And besides, I can sleep in a little longer this way.”

“What about your-“

“Oh, I already informed Alice and she agreed,” Hermione interjects, shooting Veronica a look that says, _don’t be silly._ “Also, I’ve taken the liberty of rearranging your closet a few times before, so I know Betty has clothes to wear for tonight and tomorrow.”

Horrified, Veronica opens and closes her mouth like a fish and drops her face to her hands. Betty lets out a shy laugh and squeezes her waist, as though making up for the many hours Veronica has spent holding off of touching her.

Then again, maybe that is also a factor in Betty being more affectionate with her. She always has been perceptive that way, after all, dense as she may be sometimes.

“It’s settled, then,” Hermione says triumphantly, when Veronica stops protesting at last. Betty gives Veronica a quick kiss on the forehead, flashing her a smile before moving around the kitchen to help out.

Once everything has been finished, they take their respective seats – Hermione at the head of the table and Veronica and Betty sitting opposite each other. And Betty, being the sweet person that she is, takes the time to savor the food and compliment Hermione for her cooking while they eat.

“So, Betty,” Hermione starts, looking at Betty. “How is the girls’ baseball team doing?”

Betty tears her gaze away from Veronica to look at Hermione and smiles. “I think we’re doing great. There’s a few hitches now and then at practice, but nothing too bad that can’t be fixed.”

“That’s good to hear. I know nothing about baseball, and neither does Veronica, but she’s really pushing the cheerleading team to do their best to boost your team’s morale,” Hermione says lightly, meaningfully as she looks at Veronica.

Veronica shrugs as she swallows her pasts and says, as offhandedly as possible, “Well, Betty’s my best friend so of course I want to give my best in cheering for her.” Except, her voice quivers slightly from the effort of not adding that affectionate lilt that always touches her words whenever she talks to and about Betty.

At that, Betty grins, wide and radiant that Veronica has to resist banging her head against the table. But Hermione still isn’t done speaking her piece and teasingly adds, “Did you know Veronica locks herself in her room for hours at a time with music blasting from her speakers?”

“Mom!” Veronica gasps out of pure shock, color draining from her face. “Oh my God. Betty, don’t listen to her!” she cries out desperately, but Betty’s grin only widens, making Veronica groan in frustration. “You two are horrible. I hate you both,” she mourns.

Both Betty and Hermione laugh, and Veronica pouts and pointedly ignores them for the rest of dinner.

* * *

 

After they’ve finished cleaning up the kitchen, Hermione bids the two goodnight before retreating into her room, leaving Veronica alone with Betty again. They decide to call it an early night so Betty doesn’t show up tired for baseball practice tomorrow morning, and as they lay in bed, Veronica finds herself at a loss as to what to do.

Neither of them say a word, both just staring at each other as they lie face-to-face, legs underneath the covers and arms sticking out.

She should probably turn her back to Betty, because what other option does she have? Obviously, she can’t kick Betty out into the guest room – not that Veronica would ever _want_ to – and she can’t face Betty either, because that would bring up so many ideas in her head that would surely involve some form of flirting.

Veronica clears her throat. “We should probably go to sleep.”

“Yeah,” Betty answers, but doesn’t move a muscle.

“You have to wake up early tomorrow.”

“I do.”

A smile twitches at Veronica’s lips – she can’t help it, it’s a natural reaction whenever they’re like this.

“So,” Veronica says.

Betty chuckles. “So.”

_Oh, no. Stop right there, Veronica Lodge. You’re entering into dangerous, flirty territory right there._

“We should sleep,” Veronica repeats, letting her gaze wander around her room that isn’t Betty Cooper.

“We should,” Betty agrees, and before Veronica can turn around and face the opposite way like she planned, she’s finds herself being pulled back.

Veronica squeaks in surprise, and Betty chuckles and holds her close, cradling the back of her head with one hand.

“Good night, Veronica,” Betty whispers, the words reverberating off her chest and rolling easily off her tongue.

Has Veronica mentioned how much she adores it when Betty says her name? Because she does. She really, really does.

Breath hitching, Veronica murmurs, “Good night, Betty.”

The last thing Veronica remembers before falling asleep is Betty kissing her hair, and it brings a smile to her face as she closes her eyes.

* * *

 

As they’re getting ready the next morning, Veronica is reminded of why she protested against Betty sleeping over when they have school today.

It’s _that_ – Betty changing right in front of her, biceps flexing as she pulls on a clean shirt. Veronica grips the sheets until her knuckles have turned white, wondering why she isn’t looking away because oh, this is bad.

And God, Veronica just wants to walk up to her, to let her hands roam Betty’s chest and bat her eyelashes at her and maybe, sort of kiss her.

To make matters worse, Betty turns around at the exact moment the thought crosses Veronica’s mind, hair still damp from the shower, and Veronica suddenly has this overwhelming urge to grab a pillow and scream into it because this is so fucking _unfair._

And the worst part is, Betty isn’t even aware that she’s been _killing_ Veronica all this time.

_Hold it together, Lodge. Just hold off until the day ends, and then tomorrow you’ll get to flirt with Betty as much as you want to again._

But _can_ she, when Betty is looking like that right now?

“Hey,” Betty says, an easy smile spreading across her face and Veronica?

Veronica darts out of bed and makes a beeline for the bathroom, leaving behind a very confused Betty in her wake. Heart racing, she leans back against the door and shakes her head.

“Ronnie, are you okay?” Betty asks in concern from the other side.

“Yeah,” Veronica says throatily, head spinning round and round in wild circles. “I’ll uh- I’ll have Smithers drive me to school so you can go ahead. You don’t want to be late for practice, right?” she laughs airily.

“Are you sure?”

_Yes, because I can’t be alone with you right now without guaranteeing that I won’t jump you._

“Yeah, absolutely! You know I take a lot longer to get ready, and I don’t want to hold you up, so…”

A beat of silence, and then, “Okay. I’ll see you later, then?”

Veronica releases a sigh of relief. “Yeah, I’ll see you later. Bye, B, and take care.”

“I will. And take care, too, V.”

Veronica listens to the sound of Betty’s footsteps fading away, and then opens the door slightly to see if the coast is clear. It is, and she’s about to walk out when she spots a neatly folded piece of paper lying by the door.

Curious, Veronica bends down to pick it up and carefully opens it. There in Betty’s neat handwriting, it reads: _I left my varsity jacket in your closet, by the way. Just in case you wanted to wear it._

Laughter bubbles out of Veronica’s throat, and she shakes her head fondly as she hides the note in a safe place.

And yes, she normally takes her sweet time getting ready, but she cuts it down this time so she can catch Betty before classes start. Putting on Betty’s jacket, Veronica heads out of her room, about to rush down when she realizes that Betty probably hasn’t had breakfast yet.

“Mom!”

Hermione appears from the kitchen and asks, “Yes, mija? Is there something you need?”

“Did Betty eat breakfast?”

“No, she didn’t. Why?”

“Can you-“

Hermione smiles and holds up a tote bag that holds two sandwiches and a thermos of coffee. “One step ahead of you, dear. I’m sure you would want to eat breakfast with Betty, so I prepared two.”

Veronica beams and gives her mom a grateful hug. “Thanks, mom.”

“Alright, now take these and go,” Hermione says, and Veronica nods and takes the bag from her hands. “Have a great day, mija.”

“You too, mom!” Veronica calls out as she hurriedly leaves the kitchen.

“Those girls,” Hermione says fondly with a shake of her head.

* * *

 

Betty’s practice is over and the field is empty by the time Veronica arrives, so she heads straight to the girls’ locker room. There she finds Betty standing in front of a mirror, looking at her reflection as she buttons up her top – a forest green flannel shirt that Veronica had bought for her, of course making sure that the sleeves would be a snug fit around Betty’s arms.

“That’s a nice shirt,” Veronica says, catching Betty’s attention.

Betty smiles as she turns to face Veronica and runs a hand through her hair, the topmost three buttons of her shirt left open, exposing part of her collarbone.

“Of course it is, you did get it for me,” Betty teases, and Veronica bites the insides of her cheek to fight back a pleased smile. Then, smile soft, she buries her face into the crook of Veronica’s neck and adds, “You’re wearing my jacket.”

“Mmm,” Veronica hums, and Betty sighs and noses her shoulder. If Betty keeps this up, Veronica is sure to snap, inevitably letting out two days’ worth of pent-up feelings and frustrations come bursting like a dam. “I brought breakfast. Mom made it for us.”

“Your mom makes good sandwiches,” Betty says, then pulls back to look Veronica in the eye.

“So, what made you decide to wear this shirt today?” Veronica asks lightly.

Betty shrugs, uncertain. “I’m planning to ask someone to go out with me later, after school.”

Out of all the answers Veronica was expecting, it definitely wasn’t _that._ Her heart plummets down to her stomach, and she can only hope it doesn’t show on her face. So this is what she gets for letting her stupid pride get in the way.

No, this is what she _loses._

“Well, whoever they are, they’re lucky,” Veronica answers, offering Betty a weak smile, not having the heart to ask who it is.

“I don’t know if she’ll say yes though,” Betty says with a frown, and Veronica wants nothing more than to make it go away. “It’s just- she’s been acting strange around me lately.”

“Strange how?”

“Like-“ Betty shakes her head and releases a heavy sigh. “She still talks to me, and everything feels pretty normal, but…” she glances to the side, unsure, before bringing her eyes back to Veronica. “I dunno, she’s not as affectionate with me as she was before, I guess. Like… she’s holding herself back, somehow.”

The words hit Veronica like a freight train, hitting her square in the chest and rendering it hard for her to breathe. God, how- how _insensitive_ could she be? All this time, she’d been too caught up with herself that she didn’t stop and wonder if her actions were affecting Betty, too.

There’s a touch of sadness in Betty’s gaze, and it makes Veronica feel like the stupidest person to have ever walked the universe.

_I miss you._

Veronica sighs, drops her head on Betty’s shoulder. “For the record, that girl would definitely agree to go out with you.” Then she looks up and strokes Betty’s cheek with her thumb, gazing softly into green eyes. “And she’s also sorry for not taking your feelings into consideration.”

Betty nods and takes Veronica’s hand, nuzzling her palms and brushing light kisses against her wrist.

Swallowing hard, Veronica releases a shaky sigh and touches their foreheads together. “I missed you, too, Betty. I’m sorry for making you miss me. I’m sorry for not saying it back sooner and for letting this drag on. I’m sorry I ever even let it happen in the first place.” She groans and huffs, “It’s so stupid.”

Betty wrinkles her forehead, perplexed. “Stupid?”

Veronica pulls back and frowns. “It’s just- Kevin, Cheryl, Toni said I have a problem keeping my hands to myself when I’m around you. I was so hell-bent on proving them wrong that I let my pride get in the way and agreed not to do any form of flirting with you for three whole days.”

“Oh.” Betty blinks, and for a second, Veronica is afraid that she might be mad or disappointed, but instead, Betty lets out a small laugh. “So that’s why,” she says, sounding relieved. “I was kind of afraid that I did something wrong, but it’s good to know that isn’t the case.”

It’s Veronica’s turn to be puzzled. “Wait, you’re not… mad?” she asks slowly, disbelieving.

“I’m not,” Betty is quick to assure her, and the tone of her voice says that she means it. “I could never be mad at you, Veronica,” she says softly, dipping her head to brush her lips against Veronica’s cheeks. “And I have something to be sorry for, too.”

At that, Veronica frowns, trails her fingertips along the side of Betty’s jaw. “Betty, there’s nothing for you to apologize for.”

“No, there is.” Betty glances away, a regretful expression shadowing her face. “That day… when you asked me about the girl that asked me out.” She bites her lip, absentmindedly stroking Veronica’s cheek. “I should’ve told you about it sooner.”

_Oh._

“No, B, it’s okay.” Veronica shakes her head vigorously. “We aren’t-“ she cuts herself off, unsure how to proceed. _We aren’t a thing. We aren’t dating, and you shouldn’t have to feel obligated to tell me those things and feel bad when you don’t._ So instead, she settles by saying, “It’s not your fault.”

And it’s the truth. It’s not Betty’s fault that a big number of people in Riverdale are crazy about her, because Veronica is, too. She always has been.

Slowly, Betty nods, still not looking entirely convinced. Veronica knows just what to do to turn it around, and so she runs her hands across Betty’s chest, smoothing out her rumpled collar along the way before trailing soft, reassuring kisses up her neck and the underside of her jaw.

Betty makes a content sound at the back of her throat, and Veronica presses further by brushing her lips against the space found at the back of her ears.

Veronica opens her mouth to reassure Betty, but she’s not sure if words would be enough to convey the depth of her feelings – at least not yet – so she yanks Betty by the collar and crashes their lips together, stumbling backwards until her back hits the lockers.

Breathing ragged, Betty kisses Veronica back with a sense of urgency, and just like that, two days’ worth of repressed feelings come rushing to the surface. Veronica rests her head back against the locker, shuddering as Betty starts kissing down her neck.

The words _I’m sorry_ hang on the tip of Veronica’s tongue but the only sound that she can muster is a soft moan what with Betty mouthing at her neck – hot and insistent that her knees start to go weak.

Then, without breaking away, Betty slides her arms around the back of Veronica’s legs and smoothly hoists her up, and Veronica purrs and hooks her legs around Betty’s waist. It’s intoxicating, the thrill of making out with Betty in an empty locker room at school.

Veronica braces herself by gripping Betty’s shoulders, moaning in appreciation as she feels the muscles tense underneath her touch.

“Mmm…” Veronica sighs and parts her lips, coaxing Betty’s tongue out with hers. Betty is quick to oblige, and Veronica can’t help but roll her hips a little and let her imagination run wild.

There’s one where she’s sitting on the hood of Betty’s pick-up truck, Betty between her legs as they kiss slowly, lazily, just taking their sweet, sweet time.

And another where she’s climbing over the console to straddle Betty’s lap, hands under shirts and Veronica tangling her fingers into Betty’s hair.

Then another one yet where they’re in the backseat, Veronica on her back with Betty on top of her, eyes lingering on her face as Veronica reaches out and slowly starts to unbutton her shirt. Windows fogging up as they fumble around, Veronica laughing into Betty’s ear and Betty grinning against her neck. Fingers pressing into bare skin, Betty groaning as Veronica rakes her nails across the ripples in her back.

Okay, so apparently she has a thing for imagining making out with Betty in her pick-up truck, but God, can you really blame her? Besides Pop’s, Betty’s truck has become another sanctuary of theirs. Late-night parked car conversations, singing at the top of their lungs to the radio with the windows down, the not-so-discreet looks Betty throws her way while she drives…

(And yeah, maybe it’s cliché, but Veronica is a sucker for romantic clichés, so whatever.

But of course, she loves Betty Cooper far more. That isn’t a question that needs to be asked.)

“Ronnie…” Betty murmurs, voice throaty that Veronica whimpers and wraps her legs tighter around her waist.

It’s a good thing Betty is holding her up, because otherwise, Veronica is sure she would’ve fallen to the ground by now.

“Please don’t ever stop playing baseball,” Veronica groans.

Chuckling, Betty nips at her quivering jaw. “Duly noted.” She smiles against Veronica’s lips and Veronica smiles back, kisses turning soft and sweet and absolutely _perfect._

So it turns out that she can’t keep her hands off of Betty for three days, and what about it? Veronica Lodge is going to fucking own it like she does everything else, and Kevin, Cheryl, Toni, and the rest of the world can suck on that.

“Go out with me to Pop’s after school?” is Betty’s breathless question, as Veronica encircles her arms around her neck.

“I would love nothing more, Betty,” Veronica answers softly, bringing out that dimpled half-smile that she so adores.

Then she’s pulling Betty back in for another kiss, and another, and another, until they’re both short of breath and there’s nothing else they could do.

* * *

 

When they walk out of the locker room later on, they find Cheryl, Kevin, and Toni standing outside with triumphant smirks on their faces. Veronica narrows her eyes at them and pulls Betty closer to her side.

“Were you guys spying on us?” Veronica asks suspiciously.

Cheryl wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Oh God, no! You think I wanted to see whatever the hell you two were up to in there? I would have to gauge my eyes out if I did.”

“Anyway,” Toni rolls out, flinging her arms around Betty and Veronica. “You lose, Veronica,” she singsongs.

“Yes, I’m aware. No need to rub it in my face, Topaz,” Veronica huffs.

“But thank God you _finally_ broke, because I wouldn’t be able to deal with you sulking any longer,” Kevin mourns.

Veronica raises an eyebrow. “Wait, ‘finally’? What the hell?! So _this_ was your goal all along?!” Her expression contorts into one of fury, and Kevin laughs awkwardly and retreats backwards, then makes a run for it. Toni gulps and does the same, but Cheryl stands her ground, unfazed. Veronica growls and runs after the two, yelling, “Get back here, you meddling kids!”

Betty watches the scene unfold with a bewildered expression, eyes going wide when Veronica catches up to Kevin and tackles him to the ground.

“What on earth is going on?” Betty asks, dumbstruck.

Cheryl turns to face her and sighs, “Oh, Cousin Betty.”

“I yield! You win! You win!” Kevin exclaims, squirming underneath Veronica.

She snaps her head towards Toni, who gulps and nods her head vigorously. “We’re sorry, okay? Damn, you’re scary!”

“Oh, you want scary? Fine! I’ll show you scary,” Veronica hisses.

“No! No, we don’t want scary!” Kevin exclaims while silently praying to the heavens above that he gets out of his predicament alive. In one piece, preferably. “C’mon, Toni, don’t provoke her,” he pleads.

“Yeah, Toni, you don’t want to mess with me,” Veronica warns.

But all this falls on deaf ears, as Toni merely shrugs and says, “But hey, our ‘meddling’ worked, didn’t it? Now you can flirt or do whatever you want to Betty without worrying that you’re crossing a line.”

Veronica clucks her tongue, relinquishing her hold on Kevin who sighs in relief. As much as she’s irked right now, Toni _does_ have a point. But she’s not going to admit it out loud, lest their heads grow bigger and swell up to the size of a balloon. Then she’ll _never_ hear the end of it.

“Fine,” Veronica concedes as she stands up, brushing dirt and grass off her clothes. “But you better not pull any more stunts like this in the future. Understand?”

Toni snaps up straight and gives her a mock salute. “Crystal clear, ma’am.”

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a gorgeous _girlfriend_ to get back to,” Veronica stresses, shooting the pair one last glare before walking away.

“Remind me never to get on her wrong side ever again,” Kevin remarks with a shudder as Toni pulls him up to his feet.

“Well, at least our job is done,” Toni answers, sounding relieved herself as they watch Veronica run up to Betty and throws her arms around her neck.

Betty still looks confused, but Veronica simply purrs and bats her eyes, and that’s everything Betty needs to succumb to her whims.

* * *

 

Hermione spots the pair huddled close together as they walk into Pop’s later in the afternoon, Veronica stroking Betty’s arm and lovingly pressing her fingers down on her collar, and Betty’s head bent low to whisper something in her ear. It ends with Veronica laughing and poking her cheek, still all smiles as they settle down in their usual booth.

It’s the first time Hermione has ever seen her daughter genuinely happy to be with someone else – the boys and girls Veronica used to date back in New York never having managed to bring out that sparkle in her eyes the way Betty does. So it was quite the pleasant surprise to find Veronica and Betty constantly throwing longing looks at each other, and of course, as a mother, she just _had_ to do something about it lest they continue carrying on this way forever.

And it would be such a shame, because they make quite the pair, too.

Soon after, Kevin, Cheryl, and Toni arrive, but Veronica and Betty are too engrossed with each other to notice, much to Hermione’s amusement.

“God, who knew it would be this exhausting getting those two together,” Kevin complains as he slides into his seat, Cheryl and Toni following suit. “My back still hurts from when Veronica tackled me.”

“It probably would’ve been much easier setting up two strangers than getting two people with pre-existing feelings to take the extra step,” Toni agrees.

“Two _stubborn_ people with pre-existing feelings,” Cheryl corrects.

“And add that one-half can be _extremely_ oblivious and dense sometimes,” Kevin pipes up.

“While the other one doesn’t even bother calling the oblivious one out. What a disaster,” Cheryl tuts, shaking her head in feign annoyance. “I suggest we make fun of Veronica every day for not being able to make it to three days without snapping, just so we can frustrate her like the way she exasperated us.”

“Being petty, aren’t we, Blossom?” Toni teases and nudges Cheryl’s side.

Cheryl rolls her eyes, though she does so out of affection. “If being called petty is what I get after a job well done, then I’ll take it.”

“I thought for sure that Betty’s makeover would be the one that got Veronica to crumble,” Kevin says with a frown.

“Well, if it’s any consolation, she did look like she was about to cave in the moment Betty got into her space,” Toni says out of sympathy.

Kevin considers this for a moment and nods. “Hmm, true. And hey, great job convincing your PE teacher to let you do baseball.”

“Cheryl’s actually the mastermind behind that one, and I just did the work,” Toni says with a grin, which grows wider as Cheryl leans in and pecks her lightly on the lips. “I think that out of the three of us, she was the one that wanted Veronica to break the most.”

“All’s fair in love and war,” Cheryl says airily, which makes Kevin and Toni laugh. Then, she wrinkles her nose and says, “God, those two are going to be insufferable.”

Kevin raises an eyebrow at her incredulously. “What, like you and Toni aren’t?”

“Oh please, at least Toni and I didn’t spend an _entire_ year pining helplessly without doing anything about it,” Cheryl scoffs. “Those two idiots, on the other hand?” she clucks her tongue, jerking her thumb towards Betty and Veronica. “I’m one-hundred percent sure they would be flailing around until the day we die if we didn’t step in and took matters into our own hands. So thank God our plan worked, because I would go insane and end up at an asylum if it didn’t.”

“Aww babe, you do care about them,” Toni croons as she leans in and kisses Cheryl’s cheek.

Cheryl rolls her eyes but ends up smiling. “I will neither confirm nor deny that allegation.”

Hermione smiles as she listens, then sets down a couple of burgers, two baskets of onion rings, and their favorite milkshake flavors on their table. The three chorus their thanks, and Kevin sighs happily as he takes a bite of his burger.

“Good job, you three. Consider this my thanks for all the help you’ve given, so don’t worry about the bill,” she says with a wink.

“Man, Pop’s burgers are the _best,_ ” Kevin groans.

“And the pleasure is all ours, Mrs. Lodge,” Cheryl remarks with a flip of her hair.

Toni grins and puts her arm around Cheryl’s shoulder. “Yeah, it was Cheryl’s pleasure coming up with schemes to get your daughter to break.”

Hermione laughs and glances back at Betty and Veronica, who now have their heads down low, fingers intertwined on top of the table. Betty must have said something funny again because Veronica is laughing and smearing a dollop of whipped cream on her cheek. Faking outrage, Betty gives Veronica a dose of her own medicine, which ends up with them doubling over in laughter and Veronica yanking Betty forward by the collar to steal a kiss.

And oh, Hermione can already see Betty’s furious blush and Veronica’s horrified expression when she teases them about keeping the door open for all their sleepovers.


End file.
